Locking device for safes



LUCK'ING DEVICE FOR SAFES Filed May 15, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lllllll l l Y RS 11H/f i ummm"- l 24 @mi ATTORNEY A. s. HoLLEYHEAp 2,365343 Dec. 19, 1944. A, s. HoLLEYHl-:AD v 2,365,343

LOCKING DEVICE FOR SAFES l Filed May 15, 1941 5 Sheets-SheetvZ .'ATTORNEY Dec. 19, 1944. A s, HOLLEYHEAD 2,365,343

LOCKING DEVICE FOR SAFES` Filed May l5, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 lNvEzN-roR #Awa Sra/.wr Hauff/fina ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 19, '1944 LOCKING DEVICE FOR SAFES Armel Stuart Holleyhead, New York,

N. Y., assignor to In-A-Seal Safe Corporation,`New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York f Application May 15, 1941, Serial In Canada May'17, 1940 7 claims. (c1. 7o' 1.7)

This invention relates safes and in particular to that type of safe which is embedded in a floor. safe, the safe body is embedded in a concrete oor with the top rim of the body flush with the to p of the oor. In close proximity to the top rim of the container is an annular ange upon which the safe door rests when it is mounted in position to close the safe body.

The safe door is provided with an annular iiange which rests on the annular flange of the body and when the safe door is mounted in position it is freely rotatable thereon. The safe door is provided with a lock mechanism which may take any of the various forms in use, such as combination locks, key operated locks, etc. The safe door is provided with auxiliary bolts which in the normal locking and unlocking of the safe by use of the lock are inactivebut are available, when unauthorized entry to the safe is attempted, for movement into a protracted position beneath the annular ilange of the container, preventing the removal of the door.

The present invention contemplates that the to locking devices for auxiliary bolts may be released either by attempts to knock the lock out of the safe by punching, or by blowing the lock, or by an attempt to remove the door of the safe when it is locked against removal.

In the safe doors of this type heretofore in use, once the auxiliary bolts were shot,l there was no way of releasing the bolts so that the safe could be opened. It was therefore necessary to cut the safe door in order to open the safe. This operation is not only expensive but also destroys the safe.

An object of this invention is to provide such a safe with a secret means for retracting the auxiliary bolts after they have been shot without in any way destroying or injuring the safe or safe door. y The accompanying drawings show, for purposes of illustrating the present invention, three of the many embodiments in which the invention may take form, it being understood that the drawings are illustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan View of the safe with the safe door mounted in position;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross ,section through the safe body;

` Figure 3 is a cross sectional View showing one In this type of f and the means by which it -is held in said position; I Y l Figure 4 is a cross sectional view showing the auxiliary bolts protracted;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan View o-f the safe showing the lmeans for releasing the auxiliary bolts;

the concrete iloor F so that the top of the auxiliary bolts inits retracted position 5 Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a modied form of construction;

Figure 7 is an inverted plan view of the ydoor of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional `view on the 4line 8 8 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 showing the door in the safe body;

Figure 10 is a transverse sectional view on the line III-I0 of Figure 9; i

Figure 11 is a top plan view of a further modiiied form of safe; i f

Figure 12 is a perspective View of the safe; Figures 13 and 14 are transverse sectional views on the lines I3-I3 and I4-I4,.respectively,y of Figure 11; and Y Figure 15 is a fragmentary inverted plan view of the structure of Figures 11 to 14. In the form shown in Figures 1- 5, inclusive, the top portion of` a safe body I0 is embedded .in

with the surface of the floor. open end of the safe body is an annular flange I I which supports the safe door I2 which is made of hard steel. Around the top edge of the safe door I2 is a'n annular flange I3 which rests upon the annular flange I I, the thickness of the iiange I3 being equal to the distance from the rim to the ange II so that the top of the door will be flush with the oor. Inset in the body of the safe door is a ylock mechanisml I4 which has a bolt I5 adapted to engage beneath .the annular ange II. The lock mechanism shown in the drawings is designed for key operation but other locks operating in any of the ners may be substituted for the lock shown in the drawings. The safe door is providedA with a lug I6 diametrically opposite the bolt I5, the lug being located sok that it will engage beneath the annular flange II. The lock-mechanism' I4 is held in fixed position by machine s-crews Il Just inside lthe which pass through the body of the lock mech-y rim is ilush Vwell known man- 2 i do not come into operation until sufficient force has been applied to the lock mechanism to force the same downwardly in the manner hereinafter described. Each of the auxiliary bolts I8, I9 is provided with a spring 20 which urges the bolt to its protracted position. Each auxiliary bolt I8, I9 is formed with a recess 2I which, in conjunction with screws 22, limits the outward movement of the bolts I8, I9.

The auxiliary bolts I8, I9 are normally held in their retracted Vposition by the following cooperating elements comprising a slot 23, 24, in each of the bolts I8, I9, a spring tensioned, movable plate 25 and pins 26, 21 associated with the plate and adapted to engage in'slots 23, 24 respectively. The plate 25 is held under tension by springs 28, 29 and the cover plate 30. The movable plate 25 is guided in its movement by pins 3I, 32 which are attached to the plate and through the cover plate 30. It will be noted that the movable plate 25 spans the lock mechanism and engages with the casing enclosing the same so that if theV lock mechanism is forced downwardly, the pins 26, 21 will be forced out of the slots 23, 24 respectively, releasing the auxiliary bolts I8, i9. Upon being released, the auxiliary bolts I8, I9 are shot and engage beneath the annular flange I I.

The safe body or casing is provided with an orifice 33 positioned so that when the safe door is rotated, the auxiliary bolts I8, I9 can be successively brought into registration therewith. This slot permits the insertion of a tool to retract the bolts I8, I9 after they have been shot to permit the opening of the safe. Prior to installing the filled With a soft metal such as babbitt and given the same appearance as the safe body in order to completely conceal the position of the said orifice. The position of the orice 33 is indicated by some special identifying mark which is known only to the manufacturer of the safe but for the purpose of illustration, several indices have been shown in Figure 1 on the rim of the safe body with the orifice immediatelybelow the numeral I.

As already explained, the safe body is embedded in the concreteoor with the rim and safe door being the only exposed parts- Under normal conditions, the auxiliary bolts I8, I9 do not come into operation but remain retracted at all times, the safe door being opened by the usual means such as a key, ,in the case of a key operated lock.

, `Should any unauthorized person such as a burglar attempt to force an entry into the safe without the use of the key by destroying the lock mechanism such as by high explosive placed in the vicinity of the key opening of the lock, or by 'attempting to punch the lock mechanism into the safe body, sunicient force will be applied to the lock mechanism to strip the screws Al1 causing the lock mechanism to be forced downwardly. This downward movement actuates the movable plate 25, simultaneously retracting the pins 26, 21 out of the slots 23, 24. As soon as the pins 25, 21 are retracted, the auxiliary bolts are released and shot to engage under the annular :flange II. It is now impossible to remove vthe safe door except in the following manner. The person in possession of the confidential reference marking the position of the orifice 33 cuts away the concrete to the required depth until the position of the orifice 33 is exposed. The person opening the safe can vreadily-locate the position of the orificev33 bymeasuring down the safe body or container, the orice 33 is i wall of the safe body the correct distance immediately below the identifying mark. The soft metal closing the orifice 33 is removed, permitting the entry of a tool through the safe body into the interior of the safe. The safe door is then rotated until one of the auxiliary bolts contacts the tool. The tool is then slightly withdrawn to permit the auxiliary bolt to be brought into alignment with the tool. The person opening the safe then pushes inwardly on the tool returning the auxiliary bolt back into its retracted position. vThis operation is again repeated with the second auxiliary bolt. The bolt I5 is retracted by the key of the lock mechanism. The safe door then may be removed from the safe body. In the event that bolt I5 cannot be retracted by the key, it may also be forced back by means of a. punch inserted through the orice 33,

In the arrangement shown in Figures 6 to 10 the safe door 40 is received in the top of the safe body 4I in a manner similar to that previously shown and described. The service lock is indicated at 42 and may be any convenient type of lock. The lug 43 corresponds with the lug I6-of Figure 3.

It is contemplated that the safe door of the form shown in Figures 6 to 10 will have a centrally disposed handle 44 which will be available for the ordinary lifting of the door when the service look is open. Directions may also be formed on the top of the door for the turning of the handle to open the door. When the door is not locked an attempt to turn the handle will at most revolve the safe door in the top of the safe. The handle 44 is carried on a shaft 45 which extends down through the door and carries a cross member 46. This member rides in a cavity 41 formed in a hub 48 of a transversely extending bar 49. This bar fixedly carries two pins 50, 5D and is urged upwardly by springs 5I, 5! held in place by a bottom plate 52. These springs are comparatively stil and in ordinary operation the turning of the handle will not compress the springs 5I a substantial amount.

The upper ends of the pins 50, 5U are beveled, as indicated at 53, and are adapted to enter notches 54 in emergency bolts 55, 55. These bolts are carried in recesses 55 formed in the door 4D and are urged outwardly by springs 51. When one attempts to obtain access to the safe by a sudden or vigorous turning of the handle 44, the springs 5I, 5I will be compressed and the pins 50, withdrawn from the notches in the bolts causing the bolts to be shot out under the flange 58 of the safe body, thereby preventing the opening of the door. The safe body is provided with the concealed opening 59 similar to the opening 33 above described and `available when the concrete is broken away for insertion of a tool to push the bolts back into retracted position where they will be held.

In the form of construction shown in Figures 11 to 15 the safe door is indicated at 60, the safe body at 6I, the safe lock at B2, the handle at 54 and the handle shaft at B5. The shaft B5 carries a plate 6B adapted to be turned with the handle, and this plate has four upwardly extending sectors 61, 68, 69 and 18. The emergency bolts are indicated at 1 I `and 12. These bolts are projected outwardly by springs indicated at 13. The bolts have notches 14 along their lower inner ends to cooperate with the sectors 61 and 68 when the bolts are in the retracted position and the extent of the protraction of the bolts is determined Aby stop screws 15, 15. Shouldone-attempt to gain unauthorized admission to the safe by turning the handle 64 too far the sectors 61, 68 will be moved beyond the emergency bolts 1 I, 12 releasing them so that they will be projected under the ange of the safe body.

The safe body has the concealed opening or lation to the location of the oriiice, and a safe door having a key operated service lock mechanism for obtaining normal locking of or access to the safe, normally retracted emergency bolts, an externally accessible handle, and handle operated means for releasing the emergency bolts' upon attempt to open the locked door by turning or rotating the handle, the emergency bolts being retractible by a tool inserted through the oriiice.

5. A safe body such as claimed inV claim fi, wherein the handle operated means includes a 1 sectored member movable through a predeterthe sector 10 to enter into the notch 14, as indicated at the left of Figure 15. The safe door may then be turned bodily a sufficient amount'to bring the bolt 1| in line with the hole 16 and when'this bolt is pushed back the ysector 69 may be passed into the notch 14. This will hold back both emergency bolts and make it possible to open the door. When the door is open one can holdin both bolts while the handle is turned to bring the sectors 61 and 68 into proper position to hold them against protraction.

It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in many forms and constructions within` the scope of the claims and I wish it to be understood that the particular forms shown are but a few of the many forms.

limit myself in any Way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

Various modifications I and changes being possible, I do not otherwise 1. A safe body having a round opening pro- 'f vided with an annular. inwardly extending flange spaced inwardly of theface of the body to provide a recess for a door, the body being normally buried in masonry with only its rim about the opening exposed, the 'body having a laterally opening orice spaced below the ange and normally concealed by the masonry, the orifice being closed by easily removable material, the rim ofV the body having indicia whose location .bears a known relation to the location of the orifice, and a circular safe door having service lock mechanism for obtaining normal locking of `or access to the safe, and normally retracted emergency bolts at the same level as the orifice in the body and releasable upon an attempt of a predeter-` mined character to obtain unauthorized access to the safe, the emergency bolts being automatically protracted to pass below the flange, the door being positionable by reference to the indicia' to bring each emergency bolt opposite the orifice whereby by means of a tool inserted through the orice the said bolts may be retracted and the door opened.

2. A safe body such as claimed in claim 1,

- wherein the door has a handle'normally used to remove the door, and means movable upon rotation of the handle to release the emergency bolts. 3. A safe body such as claimed in claim 1, wherein the emergency bolts are normally held in retracted position by spring operated pawls and each pawl acts to regain control of the cor- 'responding boltwhen retracted by the tool.

4. A safe body having a round opening provided w1th an annular inwardly extending flange spaced inwardly of the face of the body to providea recess for a door, the body being normally buried in masonry with only its rim about the opening exposed, the body having a laterally opening orice spaced below the flange and normally concealed by the masonry, the orifice being closed by easily removable material, the rim of the body having indicia Whose location bears a known reposition and movable through another range of positions torelease all the bolts. e

6. In combination, a safe body having a round opening provided with an annular inwardly ex tending flange spaced inwardly of the face of the body to provide a recess for a safe door, a safe door having a lug engageable under the flange, door-carried lock mechanism including a :bolt adapted to be protracted under the flange to normally lock the door against unauthorized opening, and door-carried auxiliary bolts, means for normally holding the auxiliary bolts under spring tension in a retracted positionso as not to interfere with opening the door when the lock mechanism is in unlocked position, but protractable to pass under the flange and prevent opening of the door upon an attempt of a predeter- 40` oriiice and returned to retracted position-by a tool inserted through the oriiice where it is retained by the holding means so that the door4 `ilange, a lock mechanism associated with said door and having a bolt opposite said lug, said bolt, when protracted, cooperating with said lug and body flange. to hold said door in closed position, a spring tensioned auxiliary bolt adapted to be retracted into said door land to be protracted beneath said body flange, spring tensloned means holding said auxiliary bolt in its retracted position during normal operation of said lock mechanism, means actuating said spring tensioned means upon forcing said locking mechanism inwardly to release said auxiliary-bolt permitting it to be shot to its protracted position, Y

into alignment therewith, and areierence character on the rim of said body indicating the position of said orice, said oriiice when open permitting the insertion of a tool whereby said auxiliary bolt 'is retracted and control of it regained by the spring holding means so that the door Q may be opened.

ARMEL STUART HOLLEYHEAD. 

